Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS
by The Shiny Sword
Summary: Ten years after StrikerS it's time for a new hero to step into the light, Vivio H. Takamachi. Vivio encounters new friends and new enemies, while others try to deal with the things they'd rather forget. Vivio-centric OCs aplenty. Suspended Indefinitely
1. Prologue: A New Hero!

A/N: I don't own MGLN. I sort of own some of the OCs though :3

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS**

**Prologue**

**A New Hero, Vivio H. Takamachi, age 15!**

**Mid-Childa, Caranage **

Every generation great heroes arise from scores of mundane people. Heroes, who break the cycle of boring everyday tasks to have daring adventures and who protect the innocent people of the universe from wicked and evil fiends. Heroes like Nanoha Takamachi and now the newest of them all… Vivio H. Takamachi!

At least she would be were she was allowed to do things on her own.

"I don't need a babysitter!" Vivio H. Takamachi, age fifteen, was in a sour mood. She'd been waiting for this day, this single solitary moment, for years. This was the day she was supposed to complete her first solo mission. And unless the dictionary had changed, solo still meant alone not alone plus a giant blue wolf!

"I am merely an observer," Zafira stated. "Please continue as you would normally."

Vivio's eye twitched, "If you're an observer then what are Rein and Agito!" She flung her arm out, pointing at the two unison devices floating above them.

"Then perhaps backup?"

"If you don't know then don't answer." She puffed out her cheeks and put her hands on her hips, "Shesh they're so overprotective.

"I believe your parents are only looking out for you," Zafira sat back on his haunches in the air as Vivio looked the other way.

Vivio had grown up nicely. Opposed to the view into the future that Nanoha had seen during the Jail Scaglietti incident, Vivio had grown into a happy young woman. Like her mama she kept her hair tied up in a giant side ponytail but hers was far thinner then Nanoha's. She had a pretty cheerful face and would easily hold the attention of any boy; of course that boy would then have to go through a family of mages. Vivio didn't have any interest in romance however. There was no time for it in her busy life.

"But come on I'm not five!"

"Come on let's get going Vivio!" Agito looped around in the air. "I have important things to do!"

"But I thought Signum gave you the day off to help Vivio?" Rein tilted her head to the side.

Agito whacked Rein over the head, "stupid!"

"Why are you so mean Agito-chan?" Rein rubbed her head.

"Why are you so bratty?"

"Ehem!" Vivio drew the attention back to her.

Rein and Agito straightened up and came to attention. Then they seemed to remember exactly who it was they were talking to and relaxed again.

Rein floated forward, "Please state your name and rank."

Vivio sighed, "You've known me since I was five. Is this really necessary?"

Agito groaned and crossed her arms, "Just say 'em so we can get on with it."

Vivio half-heartedly saluted, "Vivio H. Takamachi, Civilian Collaborator."

"You too Zaffy," the red head glared down at the wolf.

"I am Zafira, the official bodyguard of Commander Hayate Yagami and Vivio H. Takamachi's current overseer," Zafira looked very serious but he was always like that so it was nothing new.

"Now for the briefing," Agito pulled up a screen. "Alright," She messed with the screen, screwing her forehead up in concentration. "Let's see…" Data flew by at an incredibly fast rate but Agito seemed to understand it all. "Ah here." Suddenly the data came to a halt, stopping on a single screen. "Your job is really easy, so even though you're a kid you should be able to handle it."

"I don't want an easy mission!" Vivio protested.

Rein giggled, "When Agito-chan—

"Don't call me that!"

"—says easy she means medium level difficulty, don't worry Hayate specifically requested you do this one."

Vivio nodded. "Alright then what is it?"

"It's a retrieval mission," Agito spun the screen around so it faced Vivio. "Your job is to retrieve the lost logia on this truck," A large transport vehicle was displayed on the monitor. There were no marks on it, nothing that made it look out of the ordinary… except for the lack of marks.

"What kind of logia?" Vivio raised an eyebrow.

Agito shrugged, "Who knows."

Vivio sighed, "Thanks for the help Agito."

The device missed the sarcasm in the teen's voice and merely grinned. "No prob!"

"Falling Soul!" Vivio held out a small orange cube in her hand. "Set up!"

**Roger Vi** The distinctly male AI answered back in English.

The cube glowed, extending well beyond the length of Vivio's arm into a glaive. The pole itself was almost as long as Vivio's body, the crescent shaped piece that curved along the top was just about as long as her forearm. The entire thing was a dark orange, not the most fearsome of colors but it would do, though Vivio had asked Falling Soul if he'd be kind enough to be ANY other color, of course he refused.

Vivio's barrier jacket soon followed. Dark gloves, almost like gauntlets, formed around her hands. Pitch black armor formed around her body like something out of a fantasy novel. The out fit was topped off by a heavy helmet. "Somehow," Vivio's voice echoed out of her helmet, "this looked cooler in my head."

Zafira shook his head, "This is why I told you to _practice_ making a barrier jacket before putting it to use."

Vivio sighed as her helmet retreated into the form of a headband. Her armor then followed, sliming down to nothing more then creamy grey colored buttoned up light overcoat trimmed with silver. The coat didn't button up completely, revealing the black pants underneath them. The gloves, however, stayed the same.

"No skirt?" Zafira uncharacteristically teased. "That might be the first time I've seen a flying mage in pants."

"Do you want me to flash everyone?"

Zafira shuddered, "No of course not." He straightened up. "Now if you're done we should see if there's any information on recently stolen logia and—"

"That's boring!" Vivio dived off the roof of the building they had been standing on. "It'll look important so we'll know it!"

"Vivio maybe you should try listening to your elders," Zafira growled and bounded after her, leaving the two unison devices to observe them.

--

Vivio loved Cranagan. Of course it was natural to love and have pride in where one grew up but Vivio particularly loved her city. Ever since she had learned to fly (at age ten) Vivio had used her ability to explore the city. It was illegal of course and Zafira called it "a blatant disrespect for authoritative figures" but it was too fun for Vivio not to. Besides, it wasn't like her flying hurt anyone.

As Vivio bounced around the city's rooftops she recalled the familiar feeling of being lighter than air. Vivio only half flew, she preferred to jump from roofs and glided to the next, not only was it more fun it used only half the mana if even.

"Watch the road!" Zafira instructed from behind her. Of all the teachers Vivio had had, Zafira was by far one of the few she listened too, even if she never seemed to care what he said.

"I am!" Actually no she hadn't been but she wasn't about to let him know that.

"We're looking for the truck!"

Vivio rolled her eyes and looked back, "I know that!"

Zafira's eyes widened, "Vivio no roof!"

"Huh?" Vivio looked down and realized she had just jumped into the air. "F-Falling!"

**Activating Arial Ace**

Light orange energy wings popped out of Vivio's back allowing her to slowly stop her fall.

Vivio sighed in relief. "Thanks Falling Soul."

**As long as you're an idiot Vi, I'll be here to save you**

Vivio glared at the device and contemplated throwing it away. "You know Raising Heart and Baridiche aren't this noisy."

**Old timers like that are boring**

"I'm starting to regret letting Aunt Shari upgrade you."

**What's done can't be undone**

"Children!" Zafira barked out from above. "Eyes on the road!"

Vivio turned and saw the thing they had been waiting for.

Whoever had decided it was a good idea to leave the truck unmarked was a moron. The steel car stood out like a sore thumb among the brightly colored cars on the highway. They might as well have written 'suspicious vehicle' on the truck's side.

Vivio and Zafira started to follow the truck as it rolled down the road at a rapid speed that was just pushing the limits of legal.

"Looks like this is a job for that attack," Vivio grinned like the Cheshire cat.

**Sounds fun! **Vivio could almost hear the device's excitement.

"Starlight!" Vivio started her attack.

"Wait a minute!" Zafira sounded almost panicked. "That attack is for emergencies only!"

"Canon," Vivio giggled as Zafira nearly fell out of the sky. Energy started to gather in the crescent's hollow and Vivio moved to better prepare for the fall back.

The sound of cartages being used up and falling to the ground filled the air.

"Don't do that again," he paced in the air.

"I wasn't about to use breaker here."

**Ready**

"Lock onto that truck."

**Locking…**

**Locked**

Vivio squared her feet. "And fire!"

The energy burst out of Falling Soul, compressed into a ball. It rocketed towards the truck and hit it with enough force to take out a few walls at once. It took all Vivio had to keep it from shooting _through_ the truck and destroying whatever was inside. The force as Vivio forced the ball to break apart was enough to knock her back into the building behind her.

Vivio rubbed her head. Brick walls hurt but if she hadn't had her barrier jacket on it would have hurt a lot more. She looked up as the rubble from her attack settled. The truck had overturned, its side wide open. Its drivers, however, hadn't emerged yet.

"That was overkill," Zafira motioned towards the wreckage.

"Heh," Vivio chuckled nervously, "oops? I guess I'm just too strong."

Zafira started his usual lecture, "Maybe magically but remember—"

"—control is just as important as power. Uncle Yuuno says the same thing." She had heard this a million times.

"Then listen to it!" He shook his head, "Your mothers caused more property damage in their youth then the entire air force combined could."

"I kinda have work to do," Vivio pointed down, people had started to surround the truck.

"Then go the clock is ticking."

--

"Robots?" Vivio leaned into the truck's window where two fried pieces of machinery were. "That's anti-climatic."

"You're lucky then," Zafira floated above her having finished scaring off unwanted onlookers.

"But I can't show off if there's no one to fight," Vivio hopped into the trucks hull.

"That's for the best."

Vivio shrugged. There wasn't anything suspicious in the truck. In fact the contents of it were more like those of a moving van's then a smuggler's. She blinked and flicked a pair of panties to the side. "Are you sure this is the right truck?"

"No. You're the one who smashed it without scanning its contents," Zafira pointed out.

"Well I don't even know what we're looking for!"

"I thought you'd find it because it would 'look important'," if Vivio didn't know Zafira better she would have said the wolf was mocking her.

**You got mail Vi **A screen popped out of Falling soul. Rein's face soon appeared on it.

"We found out what kind of Logia it's supposed to be!" The unison device looked like she was about to burst from her excitement. "I'll send the specs right now!"

"Out of the way!" Agito pushed Rein out of the frame. "Okay this thing is gonna look crazy. But trust me it's the real deal!"

Their faces were replaced by an image.

"You've got to be kidding me." There was no way _that_ was the Lost Logia they were looking for.

"That's what you're after!" The miniature girl was getting as red as her hair.

Vivio looked around the truck. The picture had been of a small, sloppy, handmade coffee mug. It looked like the kind a kindergarten kid would make for their parents; in fact Vivio vaguely remembered making a similar one for _her _parents. "We'll never find it."

"Good luck and remember we're watching!"

"Better start looking," Zafira ignored her question and motioned with his muzzle towards the contents of the truck.

Vivio groaned and started to sift through the objects.

--

"There is no way this thing is a Lost Logia." After over an hour of searching Vivio had managed to find the mug, the mug that she was now twirling around in her hands. "It just can't be."

"You have to learn to accept things for what they are," Zafira looked up from his postion on the ground, where he had been taking a nap. "We leave finding that out to the people whose job it is to study the logia."

"But aren't you even curious?"

"Not in the slightest."

Vivio sighed exasperatedly and held the mug up to the light. Logia were supposed to look important not like an art project.

"Well that is a curious looking object."

Vivio let out a small shriek as the mug was lifted from her hands. Vivio whirled around. "Give that back. This is official TSAB business."

The man tossed the Logia from hand to hand. At first glance he appeared to be floating in the air, but closer inspection revealed he was really balanced on what looked like a silver, mechanical tail coming out of his rear. He was a strange little man, almost like a monkey. He didn't appear to be much taller then Vivio nor much more muscular. His ears were large and stuck out from the musty brown hair surrounding them. His blue eyes appeared amused with the situation. "It must be very important for them to send out a little girl."

That got Vivio. "If you won't cooperate then you'll force me to use magic." She swung Falling Soul, fully intending to chop the head off the annoying man.

The man bounced up using his tail as a spring, just missing getting whacked. "Now there's no reason to be violent."

"Vivio are you alright?" Zafira jumped into the truck. "Who are you?" His fur bristled and he snarled at the sight of the monkey-man.

"No one worth mentioning."

Zafira let out a roar. Light blue spikes burst out of the ground. The monkey man was forced to dive out of the way to avoid them. "Surrender now and the force of the law will be minor."

"Sorry mate," he crossed his arms, "But you better prepare to fight."

"Vivio leave this to me," Zafira stepped out in front of the teenager.

Vivio didn't argue, she was too busy trying to figure out how to fry the mug's kidnapper. He hadn't moved. It was like he was waiting for something.

Zafira opened his jaw to call for more spikes but he was cut off as a pillar threw him into the air from below. "The hell!" He landed in a heap off to the side.

Vivio couldn't move, she couldn't decide how to handle them; hell she had no clue how to handle them.

"You're late Niu," The monkey-man twisted around to face the new attacker. "I already got it." He waved the mug in the air.

"Niu" stood up from his position kneeling on the ground. He was a giant, at least two feet taller then Vivio. He was muscular even more so than Zafira, hairy too. His brown hair was long, knotted and thick. It fell around his face and down his shoulders. The hair was continued by his thick beard and side burns. He wore a ragged old leather jacket and a dirty pair of jeans. He had a dull gaze like he was half asleep. He grunted, "Let's go Hou." He turned to leave.

Zafira had other ideas. The wolf rammed himself into the back of the giant. The giant wasn't even fazed, Zafira, on the other hand, looked pained.

"Don't hurt yourself."

"Time to go," "Hou" prepared to bounce on.

"Hold it!" Vivio finally moved, lowering Falling Soul to Hou's neck. Why she hadn't thought of this earlier she wasn't sure. Out of the corner of her eye Vivio could see that Zafira and Niu were engaged in combat. "You move and I slit your neck."

"You're just a brat you don't have the guts."

**Crescent Release**

Falling Soul's blade fired off. Her opponent managed to dodge it but not without letting it skim his ear and losing his balance. He toppled to the floor, the mug skidding out of his hands and across the floor.

Vivio dove for it, ignoring the fallen man. As soon as she had her hand around it she leapt back around turning to face the stranger. To her horror she found not only had he got up but he had created a magic seal. For all her studying Vivio could not for the life of her recognize the form.

The magic color was light brown but that wasn't what was odd. It was the squares that made up the seal that Vivio couldn't comprehend. Mid style used circles, Belka triangles and while there were supposedly other styles Vivio had never read of anyone practicing them on Mid-Childa particularly without a device. Deviceless magic was near unheard of and spontaneous at best.

Vivio snapped to her senses just in time.

**Guardrail**

Vivio's own orange seal sprung out from Falling Soul. The barrier popped up just in time to protect her from… a doll? No, not just a doll. The barrier protected her from a crate, a chair, a tea set, one of the guard robots, a sink and seemingly the entire contents of the truck each now embedded with powerful magic. Vivio's barrier couldn't hold out for long under that kind of constant attack. She focused, willing the barrier to hold out just a bit longer. To her surprise it did. It survived to the end of the attack. Hou looked surprised and panicked.

Vivio dashed forward while he was stunned gripping both the now bladeless Falling Soul and the mug. She swung down aiming for his head.

In a frenzied last attempt to save himself he held his hands up, a barrier forming to protect himself from Vivio's attack as he did.

Vivio saw something confusing on his hands. Either drawn or tattooed onto his hands were seals, similar to the one he had used before.

"Fallback," he whispered.

Vivio gave him a strange look. What was he talking about? The sound of something rushing through the air hit her ears. "Shit!" Vivio cursed and threw out her hands just as a wave of objects flew at her and her barrier. The force flung her back and caused her to drop both her device and the Lost Logia.

Hou moved fast, he had switched to his feet. He snatched up the mug and kicked Falling Soul into the corner. "Niu time to get out of here!"

The giant grunted and pushed Zafira out of his way in the sky where the two had been fighting. Both looked worn though Zafira looked much worse. In two bounds he made it to his partner.

Vivio was helpless to stop them as the constant barrage of items had her flattened to the floor.

"See you later kiddo," Hou grinned before Niu picked him up and disappeared into the sky, the attack ending with their disappearance.

Vivio smacked the side of the truck, angry tears threatening to make her bawl. Her first mission was an utter failure.

--

"Well that was an unexpected twist," the man pressed the binoculars to his eyes. He was a small man, mousy, with a gentle, soft face and kindly features. He resembled a little ball of yarn, pudgy and squishy. His ginger hair fell over his face like a shield, hiding his thin rimmed glasses. A hint of silver poked out of the hair where his ears should have been. He was huddled on the roof of the office building, peering through the rings of the chain-link fence. "And a close call too."

"We had it under control Shu," Hou stretched and tossed him the mug he had retrieved. "That kid was a newbie."

Behind him Niu grunted in agreement.

"I don't see why kitty wouldn't help us though," he shot a glance at the girl sitting on the roof with them.

She glared at him, "Why do you care? You had it 'under control' didn't you?" She was a minute girl, she appeared dainty and delicate but her looks meant nothing in reality. Her cold red eyes told that. Her straight dark red hair reached to her shoulders though in the back it continued a slight bit more. She wore a girly pastel dress and sandals, she obviously had not ever considered joining in on the fight. "Do you really need a girl to bail you out?"

He looked down, "I didn't mean it like that Kitty…"

"Why don't we go home?" Shu suggested trying to break up the tension in the air. "I'm sure the others will be happy to see that…" he looked at the mug for a moment. "Whatever it is."

Hou nodded and grinned so wide it looked almost like he was all smile. "Sure."

"If that's what you want Shu," the girl shrugged.

"Leader said something important is going to happen tonight so we better hurry back for that too," Shu stood up.

"Something important," Hou raised a thin eyebrow. "Like what?"

"That's not our business now is it?"

--

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"Does he do that all day?" The new guard looked worriedly at his senior. It was his first day in the new area. Of course it was probably his last day too. Working this hall was considered a right of passage for new guards. The guards who stayed there permanently were a brave lot indeed.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"All day. Everyday." The senior officer nodded solemnly his face devoid of emotion like a true guard. "Since he got here."

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"How'd he get the ball?" The guard had been informed the prisoner was to have nothing at all.

The other officer shrugged. "Someone gave it to him, some officer I think. His only visitor if memory serves."

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"I didn't know psychopaths had visitors," he shook his head. The man in that room was insane, there was no denying that. If it weren't for the TSAB's no kill policy he would have been long dead, in his opinion he should have been anyway.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"It was just the one time."

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"How can you listen to that all day?"

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

"You get used to it. I don't even notice it."

The young guard couldn't imagine not noticing that sound. The pattern being drilled into his brain.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud. Bounce. Catch.

Throw. Thud.

The pattern halted suddenly. The two guards turned towards the heavy, sealed, white door. No sound came from the room at all. With a gulp John headed towards the door. He slide open the small slot that was the room's only access to the outside world.

A chill passed over the young guard as he saw ihim/i. Ten years of solitary confinement had caused his hair to grow even more unruly then it had been before. It had let a beard grow on his face as well.

"Hey something wrong in there?" Looking into that room scared the hell out of the guard. It was pure white except for the hair of the prisoner and the blob on the ground.

"My ball," the voice didn't match the body it was coming out of. This voice was lyrical and pleasant. "It seems to have broken," he looked up through his mane of purple locks, his yellow eyes seemingly glowing.

The guard looked down at the dark blob on the ground. Closer inspection revealed that it was nothing more then a handball that had split directly in half.

"I can't get it," Jail shrugged and pointed to the shackles on his feet.

The guard eyed him for a minute before reaching for his keys and starting to unlock the door.

"Thank you so much," Jail smiled and for a second the guard couldn't see how this man could be the lunatic who tried to take over the TSAB.

He swung open the door, "You know you're not getting another on-" The guard promptly passed out as he took a whiff of the air.

"Don't worry it's not poisonous just a very heavy knock out gas, took me years to become immune," The man chuckled.

The senior guard slid into the doorway but was quickly knocked out.

"You really ought to have a better ventilation system," he pointed out from his seat. He stood, despite what they thought and what he led them to believe he had become quite skilled at standing with them on. "Quattro you can come out now."

Boom! An explosion rocked the facility. He smiled in satisfaction as debris flew past him. "Lovely."

The combat cyborg rose out of the now settling dust. She tossed a small ball up and down in hand, a bomb similar to the one she had used to blow up her cell. "Doctor it's so wonderful to see you again." She giggled as she picked up the dropped pair of keys. "Did that kind old man give you that toy?" She bent over and unlocked his shackles.

He took a few wobbly steps forward before regaining his smooth steps. "Our beneficiary is quite kind." He spied something out of place. "He even left a gift," On the table a pile of clothes had been left along with a razor and a smooth white mask. He quickly shaved and changed clothes, a feeling of wholeness coming back over him as he slipped on a lab coat. "Quattro I think it's time to pay him a visit."

"Yes doctor. Tee hee."

He flipped the mask in his hand. Its red eyes looked up at him, telling him it was time now. With a single motion he fashioned the mask onto his face.

"In fact we should visit all our old friends. After all, someone needs to tell them that Jail Scaglietti is back."

* * *

Next time on: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS

??:Aunt Hayate!?

Vivio: I'm going to be late!

Nanoha: You're doing what?

Vivio: A Hobo! Vagrant! Smelly person!

Yuuno: I like it when people tell me before they steal my best help.

??:I'm John. John S. Prius. Nice to meet you Vivio.

Old Friends and New Faces

* * *

A/N: Personally I think this should have stayed on the AS board . but for the sake of easier reading and making it so everyone could read it. So here it is. It's released on the AS board a bit faster so if you're interested check it out there, I also post bonus content on the board including information on the world, Character profiles and other shorts. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 1: New friends and Old Faces

A/N: Heh I kinda forgot about updating over here sorry about that. BTW The OC Syn belongs to Keroko of the AnimeSuki Nanoha boards. Yay Syn XD.

Disclaimer: Blah don't own blah blah

* * *

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS**

**Chapter 1**

**New Friends and Old Faces**

The planet Eharet was dreadfully hot. It didn't help that it was a desert planet that seemed to be uninhabited save for the wild animals everywhere. It also didn't help that it was midday and there wasn't a cloud in sight, not that there ever were. There was no logical reason for anyone to go there. So why then were then dozens of men and women buzzing about a campground?

The site was large. It was after all an archeological dig. A scouting unit had found it months back while looking for life. People might not have been there any longer but they had left behind quite a bit. It was one of the largest finds in a decade, an entire city buried underneath the sand. At the center of the entire excavation was one Yuuno Scrya.

The librarian was far from out of his element as his numerous assistants had thought he'd be. Few of them remembered that the dirt was home to him. They'd all been shocked when he'd traded his usual green suit for a t-shirt, baggy shorts, a hat and layers of sun block as without it they'd fry. As the supervisor for the dig, as assigned by the TSAB, they had expected Yuuno to sit in a tent all day and leave the hard work to them so they had been shocked when Yuuno was the first to break the dirt. All of them but one.

"Mr. Yuuno!"

Yuuno looked up from the area of ruin he was working on. Ah that's where he had gotten off to.

"Mr. Yuuno. I think you'll be interested in this," A young man was running towards Yuuno, holding something in his hands.

"Look out you—"

In his haste the boy didn't pay attention to his surroundings and promptly fell into one of the numerous holes.

"—'ll fall." Yuuno sighed and jogged over to the scene. "Are you alright?" He peered down.

The boy looked a bit dazed but no worse for wear. In fact he just looked excited. "Look at this," he handed Yuuno a small digital camera and then clambered out himself. "The writing, look at the writing!"

"Alright, alright calm down John," Yuuno peered down at the small camera's screen, these old things were rarely seen out of antique shops but they were useful on a planet like this. It only took Yuuno a moment to recognize what was in the picture, a stone tablet with writing on it. "This is ancient Belkan." Yuuno turned to John, "Now what does this indicate?"

John straightened up, his face turning serious, "It confirms our hypothesis that the site is in fact a colony of the Belkan civilization."

"Wait," Yuuno held up a hand. "Remember recent discoveries indicate that in fact what we believe to be the late hub of Belkan activity could have started out as a colony as well," Yuuno encouraged the younger man to think deeper.

"Right so this could be something even deeper than a new colony," He looked down rubbing his chin in concentration.

Yuuno chuckled softly and patted him on the shoulder, "don't worry we have plenty of time to think about it."

He nodded, still looking utterly serious. "I'll go show this to the others sir."

"You do that," Yuuno watched as he ran off.

Yuuno shook his head. John S. Prius was of particular interest to him, after all the sixteen year old had served as Yuuno's apprentice for just about four years now. Officially he was a TSAB agent completing his training as a support mage under the help of the infinite library's head, Yuuno Scrya as per a certain TSAB officer's request. Though he'd been unwilling to have another person around he quickly grew used to the boy's presence.

John was the thoughtful sort. Though he'd only been five foot when he first started he now hit just under six. The years he'd spent with Yuuno had made them look more and more alike. There had been similarities from the start, John wore glasses as well and also had the unfortunate fate of being slightly feminine in appearance. But as he'd grown up, John had started to wear his hair long and started to dress similarly (though John was much more nitpicky about his appearance then Yuuno had ever been, he had even managed to stay clean in the desert). Regardless of whether or not John had started to wear his hair that way in tribute to his teacher or for practical purposes it still touched Yuuno.

Yuuno had spent the past four years filling John's head with facts and spells ensuring that no matter what he did he would be by far the best support mage the TSAB had. Though to be fair he wasn't exactly sure where John would best fit.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Yuuno jumped and fumbled with the pager on his belt. He hated the thing, on Mid-Childa he could pull up a screen with out the accursed device. Here, because of the technology gap, he had to do most things manually. Finally, he managed to find the button that turned it on.

The yellow screen popped out, a familiar face on it.

"Yuuno-kun how's the excavation going?" The brunette on the screen smiled and leaned forward.

"It's good," Yuuno laughed, it was good to see a familiar face again. "It's nice to see you Hayate."

Hayate smiled, "I wish I could say I just called up to say hi but." She looked sorry. "I have something to ask of you."

"I don't like the sound of that…"

Hayate rubbed the side of her head, "I don't think you'll like it."

As she explained Yuuno's face fell more and more.

He sighed, "I wish you'd give me more notice before you take away my best help."

She gave him a sympathetic grin before shutting down communications.

"John!" Yuuno called out, "Come here!"

* * *

John S. Prius hated being stuck in airports. He didn't understand why TSAB officers had to use public modes of transportation. There were dozens of helicopters just waiting to pick him up. It didn't help that the public planes were filthy. Well filthy by his standards at least.

He'd been delayed for several hours, no particular reason, at least none that he was told. There was no reason to complain about it anymore though. He couldn't do a thing about it and it was all over with after all.

John straightened the silver crescent pin on his lapel, fixed his collar, dusted off his jacket and ensured his uniform was completely neat and tidy. He didn't want his greeters to think he had become sloppy in his time away. He cleaned his rolling suitcase off as well, just to be certain.

People buzzed around him, each going to their place, each having a place to be at. He was the only still one. John checked his watch, he was late but he wasn't that late. Actually he wasn't sure who was going to pick him up.

"We're late!"

"I'm aware of that."

"He's probably waiting for us! That kid would keep waiting forever!"

"Somehow I doubt that."

The two noisy parties (well only one was noisy really) came into view as the escalator rose. John grinned. The two women were dressed in TSAB uniforms but John would have easily known them without the uniforms.

"'Oi boy," the shorter of the two addressed John. "We're looking for a kid, military, about," she held her hand just above her head, "this high. You seen him?"

The other smiled slightly, realizing what the shorter one missed.

John rubbed the side of his head, "Well I grew you know."

Vita blinked. "No way in hell." She squinted, "there's no way you're the brat who promised to stay my size forever."

John chuckled nervously, "Don't tell me you held me to that."

Vita crossed her arms and looked to this side with a look that clearly said she had been intending to.

Signum gently scooted Vita out of her path, "you've grown up."

It was weird that John was now looking down at Signum, she had always been at least a head taller than him. Of course even without the height advantage she still could scare him senseless. "Tha—"

"Let's go!" Vita picked up his bag with a single hand and started to haul it away over her shoulder.

Signum followed the redhead but not before giving John an approving nod.

John allowed a small smile onto his face before whispering to himself, "It's nice to be back home." He then hurried after them.

* * *

"Yes yes I understand," Colonel Hayate Yagami rested her head on her hands, thankful that she was busy with a voice only conversation. That way the person on the other line couldn't see just how bored she was. "Yes sir… I see sir… I'll make sure it happens sir." She had thought the sucking up would stop once she reached the rank of Colonel. But apparently there was no end to it. Unless she reached the top. Perhaps that was the goal she should aim for.

As the man on the other end continued talking Hayate began to idly flip her pencil in her fingers. Part of her wanted to pay attention but the man was so boring it was next to impossible. Besides she had another call she was waiting for—

A red light went off informing Hayate of another caller. Her eyes lit up at the name and rank listed below the light. She perked up.

"Sorry sir but a higher ranked officer has called me," Hayate tried to keep her voice as neutral as possible so as not to tip off that she had almost fallen asleep earlier.

After a few seconds she was able to switch calls, the new one she allowed visual for.

The screen popped up and with it the cheery face of an officer Hayate had come to know well in recent years. "How've you been Colonel Yagami?"

"Well and you Admiral Skala?" Hayate answered back with the same polite inquiry.

Admiral Akito Skala chuckled, folding his long hands together, "As fine as the circumstances have allowed." The older man smiled kindly, a rare friendly face among the higher ups. He looked older than he had been last time she saw him. Many more wrinkles framed the Admiral's worn face but the spark in his eyes had yet to die out to her pleasure. The white haired man had slicked his hair back, Hayate wasn't sure if it was to cover up the fact he was likely losing his hair or not. It was hard for her to believe he was only a bit more than ten years older than her. "But pleasantries aside…"

Hayate nodded, there was of course a reason for his call. In the military you never made friendly pointless phone calls.

"You'll be happy to know everything is in place," he chortled slightly, "I've even taken the liberty to ask them to start construction."

Hayate was a tad startled but after the immediate shock faded she found herself pleased afterwards. "I owe you more than I thought I did."

The admiral looked serious for a moment more before he dissolved into a happy mess, complete with his hair getting somewhat ruffled. "Oh no I'm just paying back a favor. Considering everything you're doing for me and for the boy," he waved his hand in the air, for a moment Hayate was reminded of Lindy. His face turned serious again, "besides you deserve this chance. We can't have you go rotting behind a desk for another ten years."

"I'm not rotting, I'm working," Hayate smiled playfully, "if anyone's rotting it's old men who have nothing better to do than help little girls."

"You wound me," he grasped his chest dramatically as if hit by a bullet. "You wound my very soul."

"You should have gone for the theater Admiral," Hayate giggled.

"Should I have?" He looked like he was pondering her suggestion.

Hayate shook her head happily but as fun as talking with him was there was still business to be discussed…

* * *

"Ten past three," John looked down at his watch. Being the head of a regiment must be a difficult job for it to cause her to be over an hour late. Then again he himself had been late as well.

He stretched his fingers out in front of his chest. His bag was gone, taken away by Signum and Vita. They had left him after dropping him off there. Now if she would just come so the officers around him wouldn't keep giving John weird looks. Being in a new place like this made him uncomfortable enough without their stares.

"John?" A confused voice made him turn.

John's eyes lit up and a smile grew. He was a little kid again, "Aunt Hayate!" he then turned bright red and snapped into a salute, "I mean Colonel Yagami!"

Hayate looked him over for a second, as if inspecting him. She allowed her self a small smile. She then looked serious, except for the playful sparkle in her eye. "At ease Private."

John's hand fell but he remained stiff as a board. "Yes ma'am!" He wasn't braced for the powerful hug his guardian gave him. For such a small woman she was very strong.

After a moment she let go and shot a glare at the lingering officers. "I'm glad you came John." If John wasn't mistaken there was bittersweetness in Hayate's words. "Now how have you been?" If there had been it was all gone now.

"I've been fine. A bit hot but Yuuno took care of me," John wondered when he had gotten so much taller than his adoptive aunt.

Hayate motioned for him to follow, "come this way." They started down the hall. "How's Yuuno doing?"

"Fine, he's obsessed with his new project. Sometimes I have to force him to eat food," John scratched his chin and looked up. "I'm not sure what he'll do without me actually."

"One time he forgot about eating for a week after he got excited about this ancient tome Nanoha found for him," Hayate looked off to side, "we found him passed out in his study, Arf started to check in on him everyday from then on," she giggled. "I wish I wasn't so busy," she sighed. "It'd be nice to see him again. It'd be nice to see all of them again." Her shoulders lowered and her head sunk down

"Uh…" John gulped unsure of what to say. "Aunt Hay—"

"Aunt Hayate!"

Their heads both snapped to the side.

A blond girl, her hair pulled off to the side, ran up to them. "I finished it! Every single paper!"

Hayate rubbed her chin, "Every one?"

"Yeah!"

Hayate held up a finger, "but you were only supposed to fill out half of them."

The girl's face fell. "I think I'm going to cry…" True to the girl's word she teared up.

John took out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to the girl. "Here."

"Thanks," she took it and dramatically wiped her eyes.

"It was a joke," Hayate waved her hand in the air. "A joke, a joke."

"That was cruel." She looked up, truly noticing John for the first time. "Who's he?"

"This is my…" Hayate searched for the right term, "well he's like my nephew in a way…"

"I'm John. John S. Prius." John offered his hand.

She took it, her grip was unusually firm. "Vivio."

"I'm pleased to meet you."

"If you're Hayate's nephew why haven't I ever met you?" She looked suspicious of him. John couldn't imagine why. Back at the academy they had voted him least likely to ever have a mug shot.

"Well I've been working for Mr. Yuuno Scrya for a few years and I was at the academy before that—"

"You worked for Uncle Yuuno!" All suspicion was gone and she now just looked excited.

"Y-yes I was his apprentice."

"Alright I'll trust you then John-kun." She grinned so wide it took up half her face.

"Kun?" John furrowed his brow confused until realization hit him. "Oh you're speaking Japanese aren't you?"

Vivio blinked. Then she snapped her fingers, "Oh I am!" She looked apologetic, "Sorry I switch sometimes. My parents like to speak it around the house."

John shook his head; it wasn't_ that_ odd for her to be speaking that language, "it's not a problem. My device translates everything anyway." He tapped the pin on his lapel.

"So you're a mage then," She leaned up, looking into his face like Hayate had earlier.

He turned slightly red, "A long distance and support mage."

She backed down, satisfied. "I'm a mid-range and close-range mage." She tapped her chin, "sometimes I do melee." She shrugged. "It all depends on what I feel like doing."

What she feels like? John found himself wondering exactly what kind of mage was able to be all of those things.

She noticed his watch. She jumped back, "Oh shit! It's that late already!" She seemed to panic. "I'm going to be late! She's gonna kill me!" She started to run down the hall. She looked back over her shoulder and shouted. "It was nice meeting you John-kun."

"Who was that girl?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "She's incredible."

"Don't even think about it John," Hayate lightly slapped his shoulder. "If you try anything I can promise there will be no less then twenty highly skilled mages after your blood," she smirked, "myself included of course."

John looked appalled, "I wasn't thinking about anything."

"She's Vivio H. Takamachi by the way."

John choked on the air, "The Baby Devil?" She was famed throughout the military for her power and ability to cause almost as much damage as her mother.

"Yep. Now come on we have things to talk about," Hayate ushered John into her office and shut the door.

* * *

"Damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it!" Vivio raced through the city cursing at the top of her lungs much to the annoyance of every mother around her.

**Is cursing supposed to make you faster?**

"Shut up, shut up, shut up! Don't you care if I die!" Vivio glared down at her device as she hopped over a bench. "Sorry 'bout that!" She called back to the people sitting on it.

**If you die maybe I'll get a competent master**

"If I die in my sleep I'll know who did it."

**If only it were that easy**

"You're going to the scrap heap later!" With a final sprint she skid into her destination. "Made it!" She cheered.

"And only thirty minutes late."

Vivio flinched. She slowly turned around with comedic pained look on her face. "Ah heh heh heh," she looked down at her feet. "Well you see I was."

"That actually might be a new record," The blue haired girl moved from her spot sitting on the park's stone fence to in front of Vivio. She was dressed in the Belkan Saint Church School's high school uniform, a neat brown skirt and jacket combo. "Less than an hour for once."

"Sorry Syn," Vivio rubbed the back of her head, "but things happened."

**Vi got distracted by a boy.**

Vivio's ears turned red and she glared down at the device, "I did not!" She turned to her friend. "Syn that's not true."

"If you plan on joining the TSAB you have to learn to stay focused Vi. You should try to keep your hormones in check."

"It wasn't like that!"

**Finally an intelligent person. If you would be so kind as to be my new master Syn.**

"Well you're not my type Falling Soul," Syn bent down to look at the cube in the bracelet on Vivio's wrist.

The device seemed to sigh.

"He's taking after you," Vivio groaned.

"You act like that's a bad thing," Syn raised an eyebrow.

"Well one of you is enough for me," Vivio leaned against the wall.

"You should have stayed in school, you've been getting lazy it seems," Syn reached up and flicked Vivio's forehead. Syn had a point, Vivio had only gotten later after she quit going to school. But still hearing that from Syn was…

"_I'm _lazy? Who always rushes to finish her projects at the last moment?"

"But I've never forgotten to finish now have I?" She smirked.

Vivio knew that she was telling the truth. In the eight years Vivio had known Syn she had never once been late, Vivio on the other hand when she hadn't been falling asleep in class was busy trying her best to remember what exactly she was supposed to do. School hadn't really been her thing, though she had been at the top of her class (behind Syn at least).

**Vi would lose her head if we weren't here to find it for her**

"Hey!"

"It's true," Syn nodded.

Vivio looked exasperated, "You don't have to agree with him."

"Well he's right," she looked at Vivio as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Vivio turned around, crossing her arms. She looked over her shoulder, "Valeria and Alleria would be on my side."

"Is that supposed to garner my sympathy?" She was smiling. She folded her hands behind her head. "What would you think if I joined somewhere?"

Vivio looked at Syn funny, "If I remember correctly you were the one who said 'you're all morons who don't appreciate the education we're being given' when Valeria, Alleria and I dropped out."

"Still it's boring around school without you," she looked away. Vivio knew Syn well enough to know what Syn really meant. "And I did say I'd enlist with you. Considering I've gone through that stupid training…"

"You only went through it so I wouldn't accidentally get killed and it wasn't stupid," Vivio argued.

"We already knew everything there, if the TSAB didn't force anyone who wanted to join into that boot camp."

Vivio knew this was a pointless fight. Syn would win, Syn always won. Vivio just didn't have the stamina Syn did. When Syn started on a tirade there no stopping her until she stopped, something a number of people had learned the hard way.

Vivio sat back and waited for Syn to stop.

* * *

It took Syn fifteen minutes to stop, in that time she touched on how the TSAB, while a brilliant organization as a whole, needed to look over how it managed training and not lump everyone into a single category and instead have an organized system of… and that's about where Vivio tuned out.

"Alright I get it." Vivio held up her hands in surrender. "Promise."

Syn looked triumphant for a moment before falling into a small, smug, smile, "Dinner's at eight." When she saw Vivio's confused look she added on, "You're parents still aren't home right? So you're coming over." It wasn't a request or a suggestion.

"Anything's better then takeout again." Vivio had lived off of the fast food place near her house, because it delivered and Vivio couldn't cook much without burning things very very badly, for the last week. Fate had been away for a while, that was typical for her, as an enforcer Fate was often gone for months at a time. Nanoha had been away at an instructor seminar for the week. "But didn't you have some big news to tell me?"

Syn smirked and held up her arm, showing off blue and red bracelet on her wrist. "I finally picked between melee and long distance."

Vivio tilted her head to the side, "oh did you? And what'd you pick?" Syn had been struggling between the two for quite a while.

Syn's smirk broke into a wide grin. "Both." She turned around and walked away, leaving a befuddled Vivio behind.

**I think I'm in love **Her device broke the brief silence.

"With who? Helskor?" Helskor was the name of Syn's device.

**No, with Syn.**

"Say what?!"

* * *

Vivio had a long trek home. She could have taken a bus but Vivio had forgotten her bus pass at home. She'd have to go back the other way within a few hours since that was where Syn lived but at that moment she was finishing her several miles long walk home.

After the disbanding of Riot Force Six Nanoha had bought a house in the suburbs where they had lived ever since. The physical house was a bit out of place, it was a small old style home in the midst of an army of giant cookie-cutter houses. However, it was a home and when Fate came home for however long she could it was home for her too.

The neighborhood was nice enough, they were far away enough there weren't many military families around. It was also helpful that it was an impersonal neighborhood, no one questioned two women having a daughter because no one cared. No one also cared about the fact Vivio was seemingly alone for long periods of time.

When Vivio was little and they both had to leave Vivio had been left with Hayate or Yuuno, sometimes Chrono and Amy but they were so busy with their own kids Fate hadn't wanted to bother them. As Vivio grew up she decided she could take care of herself and stayed home when they left. Of course Vivio's meals were typically mooched off of her family and friends. Even so, Vivio had become very self-reliant.

But food was far from her mind as she approached her front steps. In fact the only thing on her mind was the lump of brown material on her steps. The human shaped lump… the breathing human shaped lump. It appeared there was a hobo on her steps.

Vivio wasn't sure what to do. Part of her wanted to activate Falling Soul and smack the heck out of the vagrant. Another wanted to sneak around said vagrant and let the poor person sleep. Vivio wasn't given the chance to do either as the mound shuffled and sat up. The hood of their cloak fell back to reveal a blond head.

Vivio's eyes widened with recognition and the teen dove forward, effectively locking herself around the person's waist. "Fate-mama!"

"Vivio?" Fate looked down with sleepy eyes. "You got bigger." Fate looked tired, that was reasonable considering she had been away for the past six months. The 29 year old had acquired some more wear since Vivio had last seen her but she was undeniably Vivio's Fate-mama.

Vivio pouted, "Of course I did. You can't expect me to remain the same size."

"Of course not," Fate nodded slowly.

"Why didn't you enter the house and what's with the outfit?"

Fate smiled gently, "It's a gift to keep reporters from recognizing me so I could get home. But," She looked up and the door, "it seems my key doesn't work."

Vivio paled. "Oh yeah we changed the locks." Vivio didn't mention that Nanoha had left it up to Vivio to send Fate the new key and that Vivio had forgotten about that until very moment.

"Let's go inside then," Fate and Vivio managed to stand without having to remove Vivio's arms.

"Mm," One minute with Fate and Vivio was a small child again.

* * *

**The Next Day, Cranagan**

"Hayate I just got in."

"This is important."

Nanoha Takamachi sighed. She'd been back in Cranagan for a grand total of thirty minutes when Hayate called up saying it was an emergency and Nanoha had to come see her right away. So Nanoha had gone, fully prepared to defend Hayate from whatever villain was attacking her, only to find Hayate, perfectly healthy, in front of what seemed to be a building under construction. "I haven't been home yet."

Hayate waved her hand in, "You'll be there soon enough."

"So what is—is that John?" Nanoha poked her head around Hayate's shoulders to look at the young man behind her.

"Instructor Takamachi ma'am!" He shot into a salute.

Nanoha giggled and saluted back, "Don't worry too much you're practically family and there aren't any stuffed shirts around," She winked.

John looked at the ground, "You and Aunt Hayate…"

Nanoha crossed her arms and looked back at Hayate, "If you've brought John back then something must be up."

"Oh it is," Hayate looked happier then she had in a while, "I present to you," she waved her arms up towards the construction work, "Lost Property Riot Force Six is coming back!"

Nanoha's eyes lit up but she had to wonder, "How did you manage to get permission?"

"I have friends," Hayate looked innocent, "who helped me out."

"Oh come on he wouldn't let you do this. Besides you have a unit."

"Griffith's getting promoted and taking it over," Hayate grinned cattishly, "so we're all good there. Besides…" Hayate took Nanoha's arm pulling Nanoha in close so she could whisper into her ear, "keeping everyone in one place is better for them." She let Nanoha go. A serious expression crossed both of their faces before disappearing. "So will you come? John's going to be one of our forwards," she patted John on the back.

John looked surprised, "I am?"

"That's why I asked for you to come here." She turned to Nanoha, "Will you join me?"

Nanoha shrugged, "I don't know I'm kinda happy where I am."

Hayate looked shocked until Nanoha giggled.

"That's not true of course," Nanoha held out her hand, "I would join you anywhere, anytime."

Hayate took her hand. A smile grew on both women's faces, "Thank you."

John looked off to the side, clearly embarrassed about intruding on a personal moment like this one.

* * *

"How long does one person need to sleep?" Vivio rolled onto her back from her position on the floor waiting for Fate to wake up. Vivio wanted nothing more then to talk to her Fate-mama but Fate had wandered into the house, fallen on the couch and not moved since yesterday afternoon. Even after Vivio had left for Syn's house Fate still slept away and now as the day was wearing away Fate hadn't shown any sign of rousing.

**Want me to wake 'er up? I could do it fast **Falling Soul seemed annoyed or maybe he was just bored

**Quiet please **Baridiche spoke from his position on Fate's chest.

**Compliant old timer **

**Noisy child**

Falling Soul didn't say anything else.

Vivio sat up. Fate would probably be hungry when she woke up and maybe if Vivio made a—

Vivio stopped herself right there, recalling the last time she made something resembling food and the new oven she'd had to pay for.

"Vivio I'm back," Nanoha's voice echoed through the house, followed by the slamming of a door. "Was everything okay?" The sound of Nanoha's keys being thrown into their bowl.

"Mmm," Fate groaned and sat up. "Morning," She yawned.

"Afternoon actually," Vivio pointed out.

"Vivio who's with—Fate?" Nanoha stopped in the doorway, dropping her messenger bag.

"Nanoha," Fate's voice was her usual soft whisper. Something had sparked in her eyes. Looking to Nanoha Vivio saw the same thing was in her eyes.

Vivio sighed and stood up. "I'm going to stay at Aunt Hayate's house tonight," she announced.

Nanoha and Fate blinked and looked at their daughter, confused.

Vivio shrugged and walked out the door. She poked her head in the door frame one last time, "But I get Fate-mama tomorrow," she stuck out her tongue and disappeared.

**That was surprisingly nice of you **Falling Soul told her as they left the house.

Vivio rolled her eyes, "Don't give me that. They haven't seen each other in six months, trust me I don't want to be anywhere near them."

**Oh… **The AI went silent as he processed exactly what Vivio was saying. **Well then… are you sure?**

"I wasn't aware AI units were capable of being perverted."

**I'm only a reflection of my master**

"That's a lie!"

* * *

"It's been a while," Nanoha didn't quite meet Fate's eyes.

"Only six months," Fate offered as if saying that would clear the air of the trouble and worry lingering in it.

Nanoha nodded, she seemed to shrink. "Is it still…?"

Fate didn't lie or mince words, "It's still hell." They stood apart, a room of space that felt like miles between them.

Tears built up in her eyes, "And is…" Nanoha's fists clenched, trembling.

"Gone but they're out of there," Fate ran a hand through her hair.

Nanoha moved so fast Fate swore she was using magic. One second she was standing on the other side of the room the next moment she was gripping Fate as if she'd die if she didn't. "I missed you."

"Mmm," Fate gripped Nanoha back equally tight. "Baridiche."

**Yes sir **The lights shut off.

* * *

"All this sitting is boring" Jail's voice had a musical quality, but his annoyance was obvious. "Why is it you won't let me go yet?"

"You just broke out," The other voice was much deeper, richer, aged like a fine wine. The speaker was out of Jail's vision hidden to him. "We can't have you get caught now can we?"

"You could easily keep them from getting me," Jail waved his hand around.

"Just be happy I let you go. Besides I gave you play things."

"Don't call them that," A third voice, this one hollow and mechanical, echoed through the room serving as a base for Jail.

"Of course not Mr. Long."

The man, if he could be called that, named Long was completely covered inn metal, from his head to his feet. Whether he himself was a robot was unknown. His frame was long, and graceful like eastern dragon. Although he was covered in metal he still wore a neat clean business suit. "I agreed to help you for them but don't forget," He stood up, "that if I even smell betrayal you'll be dead before you scream."

"Of course Mr. Long."

"If I have to sit here with you two another minute I'll lose my mind," Jail spun around in his chair, letting his head roll around.

"Don't worry I'm going," Long walked out of the room in quick, steady strides.

"He's going to be a pain," Jail complained and sighed, "and I'm still bored."

"How about I give you a little project then?"

Jail sat up, "Now that," a sick grin curved onto his face, "sounds interesting."

* * *

Vivio: Ferret?  
John: I owe her.  
Hayate: It's like ten years ago but with more wrinkles.  
John: Miss Takamachi imagine running into you here

Nanoha: I don't care what you say you're not joining!  
Next time on Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS  
Refusal

* * *

A/N: All will be explained in due time :3


	3. Chapter 2: Refusal

**Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS**

**Chapter 2**

**Refusal**

**Hayate's house**

Warm. There was something warm on top of Vivio. At first Vivio enjoyed the strange warmth on her chest that was until Vivio realized that the warmth didn't belong there. As she sleepily opened her eyes she slowly noticed a strange little thing on her chest. As her eyes focused she noticed it was furry, with little furry paws and a little furry face.

"…" Vivio blinked. The little rodent was snoozing happily, unaware that he was in danger. "Ferret."

**Can I crush it? **Falling Soul sounded like he was ready to make some ferret jerky.

"Mmm," The ferret squirmed around, burying himself further into Vivio's chest.

Vivio's eye twitched. She grasped the little brown rodent by the tail and flung him off of her and the bed. It was lucky for him that he landed on Zafira's puppy pillow. "Pervert!"

The ferret rose drowsily, waving his head this way and that, "hmm…" His little brow furrowed as he looked and Vivio, "Miss Takamachi? Why are you in my room?"

Vivio's pure rage was replaced by confusion. "John?"

Ferret John looked down, confused by her confusion, a look of shock passed over himself when he saw his body. "I did it again," he groaned and covered his face as best he could with his paws.

**And what is that? Sleep perving?**

"N-no," John looked like he wanted to burrow into the pillow and stay there forever. "It's like sleep walking except I perform magic, while I'm asleep."

**Followed by the perving.**

"No I also sleep walk." He looked so utterly ashamed that Vivio couldn't help but believe he was telling the truth.

"So," She moved on the bed so she was more comfortable, "you can also turn into a ferret?" The guy was quickly turning into her uncle's clone.

The little ferret shook his head, "No no I'm just used a spell to look like this. Instant transformation like that is beyond me. I just happen to know a forced transformation spell and I suppose I used it on myself."

**A likely story. I say we crush him Vi.**

**Could you be any **_**louder**_**? **The sound of a female AI caused the others to go silent. Her voice was cold and smooth like a melting ice cube. At the same time every word felt like she was shooting arrows into them. **I was in sleep mode but it seems I'm allowed to get any rest.**

"Sorry Slyph," John jumped off of Zafira's pillow and onto the bed where he ran up onto the bedside table where a small silver crescent shaped pin lay next to Falling Soul.

**If you'd be **_**kind **_**enough to quiet down **_**sir **_**perhaps I could rest.**

**Who's the princess? **Falling Soul sounded a bit annoyed. **And we're so **_**sorry **_**your highness.**

**I am Slyph the Silver Bow.**

Vivio and ferret John could only watch as their devices duked it out.

**Well I'm Falling Sou—**

She cut him off. **I don't care. **

"She doesn't mince words does she?" Vivio poked John's side.

He stiffened. "Please turn around Miss Takamachi." He dove off of the table.

"Why? And don't call me that."

"Just do it pl—" John was cut off by a sudden popping noise followed by the sudden absence of ferret John, instead the regular John was back but he seemed to be lacking something important.

**I told you he was a pervert.**

* * *

**Hayate's kitchen table**

"So there's a timer?" Vivio looked like she was about to burst out laughing, though there was a blush on her cheeks.

"A magical one yes. I haven't perfected the spell yet and I've been working on it a lot lately so I guess I just tried to fix it up in my sleep," he chuckled nervously. He had put on casual clothes though Vivio didn't know how he managed to keep his jeans and his button up shirt spotless.

"You work on spells?" Vivio tilted her head to the side.

John gave her a puzzled look. "Of course. What do you do?"

Vivio waved her hand in the air. "I just kind of picture the spell and Falling Soul helps me do the rest. Isn't that how it always works?"

"Maybe it's just support magic that works like this," He offered with a small shrug.

"Yeah I guess," She played with a napkin.

"So you must be pretty high ranked to be that accomplished with magic."

Vivio's face fell, "Oh…"

John looked concerned, "I'm sorry did I say something wrong?"

"No it's just… I'm only ranked A," she tapped her head on the table.

John didn't know why she sounded depressed. "That's two ranks right then me, I'm only a B."

Vivio just groaned, "But you don't come from a family where everyone was AAA when they were nine."

"What unit are you part of?" John inquired. "Do you work with Aunt Hayate?"

Vivio shook her head, "I haven't got around to enlisting yet."

"What!" John stood up.

"There's no reason to be so surprised kid," Vita entered the kitchen dressed in only a very large t-shirt that fit her like a dress. She had obviously just woken up because her hair was unbraided. She opened the fridge taking out a small bottle of milk and proceeded to down it in a single gulp. "Vivio's mom is Nanoha." She reached for another one. "Nanoha doesn't want Vivio in the military," she chugged this one down too. "But we're working on her."

"That's not true," Vivio protested, "I just haven't gotten around to asking her."

"Wait why?" John turned around in his chair, his arms hanging over the edge.

Vita rapped him over the head with her knuckles. "That's not your business."

He flinched, "Sorry."

"Just don't be nosy," she fell into the empty chair next to him. "Morin' Zaffy." She nodded at the wolf as he walked into the room, turning into a human in time to sit next to Vivio.

"Good morning and don't call me that."

"Don't be so grumpy Zaffy," Vivio offered him an apple from the fruit basket on the table.

The wolf man took the apple and bit into it, almost eating a whole half of it in one bite. He looked thoughtful as he chewed, finally speaking as he swallowed. "I missed my pillow." Vivio had taken the room Zafira shared with Vita so he and Vita had gone to sleep with Hayate. "How was the couch John?"

John turned a bizarre shade of red, "It was fine, a bit… lumpy but it was… good." He couldn't look Zafira in the eyes.

Vivio considered him lucky that Falling Soul was upstairs or John might have had to face the wrath of her self-appointed guardians.

"I see." Zafira left it at that. If he didn't believe John he didn't let it show.

"I should get going," Vivio stood up, stretching. "I can't let Nanoha-mama keep Fate-mama all to herself."

John opened his mouth to speak but Vita interrupted. "If you're gonna make a perverted comment don't."

"Who do you think I am?"

"A teenage boy."

* * *

**The Infinite Library, two days later**

The infinite library was a busy place. After all it was home to millions of unique books that weren't located anywhere else. John was surprised to see it like that though, with its head librarian missing. It seemed to be running as efficiently as it normally did. John had gotten his books in a matter of minutes as usual and despite the crowd, he managed to find an empty table.

And so John got right to work. As Hayate's new unit had yet to start functioning John had a good deal of free time, more then he cared to have. So he had started his own little project.

John idly flipped through the stack of newspapers most dating back to MC 75. Most of the information he already knew, what he really needed was all classified. "How's the search coming Slyph?"

**I've found 326 entries in my database for 'cradle'. None of them appear to be useful unless you've gone and impregnated someone sir.**

"Nothing like that," he said absently to the pin. "Pull them up please." The screen popped up in front of him, the four entries showing. Indeed almost every single one of them was on the buying, selling and proper use of baby cradles. However, hidden among them was what John was looking for, "The Saint's Cradle," he muttered to himself.

**Do you need more information?**

"Do you think you can find it?"

**I know I can.** It was nice to have someone so confident around sometimes.

Within a minute she returned from her trip through cyberspace. **I found it. The Saint's Cradle was an ancient Belkan Battleship.**

"That's not possible if it was Belkan I would have heard of it," John shook his head, Yuuno's favorite subject was ancient Belka.

**No need to shoot the messenger I only give you information I don't make it up.**

"Please continue," His teacher probably just hadn't had time to go over it with John, at least that was how John reassured himself.

**The Saint's Cradle is several kilometers long and a truly powerful and advanced piece of technology. It is classified as a Lost Logia**. **In order to be operated it requires someone of the Saint's Kaiser's blood line. It was last activated in MC 75 during the Jail Scaglietti incident.**

"That can't be right."

**Again with the doubting me.**

"I'm sorry but if it happened in MC 75 it would be in these papers," he motioned at the stacks.

**You're too naïve sir.**

"Naïve?" John glanced down at the pin. "How so?"

**It's a cover up.**

"That's silly there's no reason for it to be," He shook his head. "There's information on the event itself. If it was being covered up then we wouldn't be taught about it in the academy."

**It could be altered information.**

"Why are you so distrustful? The military has been nothing but kind to me. Besides there's another flaw in your information."

**If you're going to be so rude sir I might not bother to help you.**

He ignored her comment, "The Saint Kaiser's blood line ran out centuries ago, _that_ I know. I can get out genealogy charts if I need too. So if the Saint's Cradle did run ten years ago it would have had to be running without the Saint Kaiser, and that's impossible."

**I suppose I'll have to check the network.**

"The network?"

**The device network. Please don't be as vain as to think our masters are the only ones in charge of information. ** After that she fell silent.

John flipped through the papers again, taking one particular from the pile. "What I don't understand," he folded open the paper, searching for an article, "is what Miss Takamachi's role in this was?" There on the page next to a small article was a picture of five year old Vivio.

"Whatcha doing?"

John threw the paper's into the air as he nearly jumped out of his seat. "Arf!" he turned to the woman who had surprised him. "Don't do that!"

Arf giggled and hopped into the chair next to him. In Yuuno's absence John supposed Arf had had an important role in the library's well being. "Sorry," even so it was hard to take her seriously when she looked like a child.

John sighed, he had missed her while he was in the desert though. "Just a bit of research."

Arf looked through his papers, she seemed to start sweating as she did, "A-ah… and why are you looking up information on such a _boring_ event?"

"Boring?" John didn't buy her act for a second.

"Y-yeah you know nothing exciting happened there," She tried to gather his papers into a pile.

John raised an eyebrow, it seemed that someone had instructed Arf to make sure no one researched this particular subject. He contemplated arguing but it didn't seem the papers would help him anymore. He stood up, "Can I count on you to put those away then Arf?"

She lit up, "Of course," her tail wagged. "I'm glad I could help." With a happy song being hummed she whisked the papers away.

**I've found something you might be interested in sir. **Slyph didn't speak until Arf had disappeared from view.

"Good I'm ready for you."

* * *

"Pretzel! Hot dog!" The hot dog cart's owner called out from his position at the sidewalk's edge, just where it hit the road.

"I'll take one," John took a pretzel from the man after paying him. John had skipped breakfast and was quite hungry after his hours of studying. He nibbled on it, making sure none of the crumbs would fall on himself, as he walked down the busy street. Most of the people around were tourists; the Infinity Library was a favorite destination of theirs, he'd forgotten that while he was away. John wondered what other secrets the city had created while he was gone, then again he wasn't from Cranagan so maybe the secrets weren't his to find.

The pretzels were still good, he was happy to discover, the perfect balance of salt and dough. He took another bite.

Ring! Ah yes the sound of bicycles driving along the roads, John remembered that sound too. He also remembered the honks. Honk! Honk! Beep! There were an awful lot of horns blowing. He turned but couldn't see the cause of the commotion.

"'Scuse me! Sorry! Sorry! Coming through!"

**You know walking has a tendency not to get you killed.**

"Look out!"

John didn't realize what was happening until he was hit full force.

**Slow force **It was lucky that Slyph paid attention to what was going on or John would have had a very painful landing. With the magic though he slowed to an easy thud.

**Way to go, you crushed a civilian.**

The girl on top of John groaned. "Shut up Falling Soul."

"Miss Takamachi?"

Vivio straightened and turned around with sudden, painful (for John) motion. "John?!"

* * *

Vivio ducked her head over her ice coffee, sipping it rather loudly while John drank his tea. Her skateboard and helmet were now still and by her side. She looked at John as she sipped her blush steadily growing bigger.

"So skateboards?" John raised an eyebrow.

Her shoulders rose up and her bangs fell over her eyes. After a minute she exclaimed, "Please don't tell my parents!"

"Hiding it?"

**Vi just doesn't want anyone to see how much she sucks. **Falling Soul sounded like it was laughing.

**A good device ensures his master is always safe. **Slyph retorted from her post.

Falling Soul had no response.

"He's right," Vivio fiddled with her straw. "I don't want anyone to know until I get good."

John's eyes were laughing, "Then I suspect outside the Infinity Library isn't the best place to practice."

**She started out all the way up town.**

Vivio looked away, silently confirming what Falling Soul was saying.

"So I guess you have a lot of free time then?"

"Mmm I train most of the time but when I finish up with that I don't have much else to do until Syn gets out of school."

"Sin?" John raised an eyebrow.

"With a Y. She's my," Vivio searched for the right word.

**Girlfriend.**

Vivio glared at her device, "She is not. I bet you'd like that though, wouldn't you."

**I'm only a reflection of my—**

**You're too noisy**_** boy**_**. **Slyph was not amused by their argument.

**And you're too bossy.**

**I don't care.**

The humans ignored their mechanical counterparts. "If you have so much time why haven't you joined the TSAB yet? You seem like you want to," the question had been on his mind ever since he learned Vivio hadn't actually enlisted yet.

"I can't decide what unit I want to joint. I could be an enforcer like Fate-mama, or I could go into the air force, or maybe even act as a ground unit if I wanted to. Why did you join the military?"

"Well you see there's a debt I need to pay," he rubbed the back of his head, "you see there's someone I owe everything to and this is the only way I know to pay her back."

Vivio smiled coyly. "You're talking about Aunt Hayate aren't you?"

John flinched, "Am I that easy to read?"

Vivio reached up and ruffled his hair, "Don't worry it's a nice trait to see when you're around people who guard themselves all the time. So why did you work for Uncle Yuuno?"

John retied his hair, "After graduation he was the only one who would take me."

If Vivio had questions she didn't raise them. "So you're going to work for Aunt Hayate?"

"It seems she needs forwards for something called Riot Force Six."

"Riot Force Six!?" Vivio bolted up from the table. "Aunt Hayate's making a new Riot Force Six!"

"That's what she told Instructor Takamachi."

"And mama's joining up!" Vivio collapsed in her chair. "Why does no one tell me these things?"

"Maybe this is a sign," John nodded wisely, "maybe you're supposed to join up here and now."

"I'm going to go talk to Aunt Hayate!" She started to run, "I'll talk to you later!"

"Wait Miss Takamachi!"

"And don't call me that! It's Vivio!" And that was the last thing she said before she disappeared into the masses outside.

John left his seat, throwing down some money for their drinks as he did, "You forgot your skateboard." He hit the edge of it with his foot, causing it to perfectly flip up and into his waiting hand. "I hope she joins, everything is so much more interesting with Miss Takamachi around.

* * *

"But why not!" Vivio leaned over Hayate's desk looking at her aunt with pleading eyes. "I'm an established, registered civilian collaborator under TSAB law I'm allowed to enlist in any unit if the head officer approves!" No one could argue Vivio hadn't done her homework.

"Vivio," Hayate was utterly calm even though Vivio was raging, a talent she had acquired from years of needing it. "I don't believe you're prepared for this kind of job."

She slammed her hands on the desk, "I'm ready! I've been ready! There just hasn't been a job I've wanted!"

"I can't take you on Vivio. You're just too young."

"John's becoming one of your forwards," Vivio protested.

"John's a year older," Hayate pointed out, "And he's had more then a year of military training."

"You didn't."

Hayate didn't show anything but Vivio knew she had found a weak point.

"You and my parents were only nine when you joined," Vivio crossed her arms, daring Hayate to tell her the situation was different, that Vivio's years of training weren't worth as much the things they had done.

Hayate sighed, "Alright. I'll give you a chance," she reached into her desk's drawers and pulled out a stack of papers, "these are enlistment papers." She was all business. Though with the speed she had given in with Vivio suspected this was what she had wanted all along.

Vivio snatched them up with the same speed she normally reserved for birthday presents. "I promise you won't regret this!"

"Just remember," business Hayate melted away and her playful Aunt returned, "I'm leaving telling Nanoha to you. Remember you're underage still and need her permission to enlist."

"Leave it to me!"

--

"No."

Now it was in no way the first time Vivio had ever heard the word no. Her entire childhood had been filled with people, usually nuns, telling Vivio that no she wasn't allowed solve her problems by punching, no she wasn't allowed to skip class because she wanted to see the TSAB agents catch some bad guys and no she wasn't allowed doodle barrier jacket designs when she was supposed to be taking history notes. This was however the first time Vivio had heard Nanoha growl the word with such ferocity it was as if Vivio had told Nanoha that she had just massacred a litter of kitties and eaten them with a nice white wine.

"Nanoha," Fate's voice was still it's normal soft and gentle self but there was an underlying sternness Vivio didn't quite recognize.

If Nanoha noticed she ignored it because she continued on. "Under no circumstances will you be joining."

"But I've always planned to join! You've always known that! Why the hell—"

"Watch your language."

"—would I go through that training if I wasn't going to join?" Vivio stomped the ground not noticing she had started to cry.

Nanoha looked like she was trying to call me herself. "I wanted you to see that this isn't something for a chil—"

"I'm not a child! I can do things for myself!" Vivio was reaching her boiling point fast. "You were nine!"

"I had no choice! You do!"

"This is my choice!" Vivio trembled.

""I'm sorry but I won't let you," She wasn't yelling, Nanoha didn't need to yell, but she was stern.

Vivio quivered for a moment, opening and closing her mouth. She chose not to speak, only to run out the door and the house.

Nanoha started after her only to be caught around the waist by Fate.

"She needs to be alone right now," Fate's voice was reassuring but firm, she understood both of them needed to be apart.

"But she doesn't understand," Nanoha protested.

"Only because you refuse to tell her," Fate stroked Nanoha's hair in a calming manner, "don't blame her for that and whether or not you approve she is going to join one day."

"Then I'll delay that day as long as possible."

Fate sighed, "You only butt heads because you're both so stubborn."

* * *

**Several Hours later**

It was getting dark. Vivio should have headed home. But she couldn't face Nanoha yet. So Vivio had retreated to her favorite place, the roof of the highest building in the city. You could see everything from it, every alley, every building, she could even see the river that bordered the city's side.

**I can't believe you ran.**

Vivio didn't answer her device. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes set ahead of her, looking through the chain link fence keeping her from the ground far below.

**You're not a coward Vi. You should have held your ground and fought back!**

Vivio didn't even look at him.

**Why won't you answer? Come on you're supposed to say something back and then I'll outsmart you, like I always do! Come on Vi!**

"You don't get it," her voice was quiet and small.

**Come on you've made her angry before and you've never gotten like this!**

"But she wasn't angry Falling Soul," Vivio rubbed a tear away, "she was afraid." She couldn't rub them all away, "She was afraid. Was it me? Was she afraid of me or for me?"

Falling Soul was silent.

"You know that's not how it is Vivio."

Vivio turned her head.

Zafira stepped off of the roof's fence and towards her. "She was only like that because she cares."

"How'd you know I'd be here?" Vivio grumbled and tried to look sullen.

"Nanoha called Hayate and told us you hadn't come back. We've all been looking for you."

"That didn't answer my question," Vivio made a very teenageresc pout.

"Do you really think you have secrets I don't know about?" Zafira raised an eyebrow.

"And now you're going to make me go home aren't you?" Vivio looked away from him.

"No." He lowered himself onto the floor beside her. "I'm going sit here."

Vivio looked at him strangely. "I-I don't know what to do."

"Is it that important for you to join us?" Zafira looked up at the cloudy sky with a contemplating expression. "The TSAB isn't going away. It'll be there in three years when you don't need Nanoha's permission to join."

"But it won't be the same!"

"Riot Force Six will wait for you Vivio."

She shook her head, "It's not the same as being there in the beginning."

The giant man sighed and wrapped one of his arms around her in a sort of half hug. He didn't say anything when she barreled into his chest and gripped him as if she wanted to split him in two. He also didn't comment on the wetness that leaked through his shirt.

**I'm being crushed. **

Vivio looked up from Zafira's chest and giggled, causing a low chuckle to come from her former babysitter.

"If you want you can stay with us for the night."

"But doesn't that mean John will be stuck on the couch again?"

"Couches build character," Zafira grunted out.

"Then shouldn't I sleep on the couch?"

**Vi you have enough character for all of us.**

* * *

A/N: ... better late then never ;;;


	4. Chapter 3: The IllTempered Forward

Disclaimer: I don't own anything save for a handful of OC's and not even all of those as Syn is Keroko

**Magical Girl Lyrical RebelS**

**Chapter 3**

**The Ill-tempered Forward  
**

**The warship Koso**

"Why do I have to go?" His voice was accusatory and angry, definitely angry. If Akito hadn't had such words worked out of him from years of being forced to be polite Akito would have described him as pissed. It didn't help that the entire deck of the ship could hear every word. "Why are you dumping me there?"

"Don't treat it like a punishment," Akito sighed. "Treat it like a promotion. That's what it is after all."

"A promotion from cabin boy to lackey I'm so excited."

Akito ran a hand through his hair, "You're going to kill me with all this ranting one day."

"Good."

"Honestly…"

He snarled, "Leave me alone!" He stormed out of the control room leaving dozens of staring officers.

"Get back to work!" Akito snapped before sinking into his chair, "Well that didn't work like I wanted it too."

**--**

**1 week later, Cranagan streets**

"And you're still staying with them?" Syn rolled her eyes. "Honestly you need to stop avoiding the problem and talk to Nanoha!"

"If you had a fight with your mom you wouldn't be ready to go back to fast," Vivio was glad Syn's school had finished early that day.

"Meh," She shrugged. "If mom and I fought she'd probably just dress me up as punishment then forgive me. She's pretty easy to please."

"I should remember that the next time you piss me off, I think Aunt Hayate has a maid outfit in your size," Vivio pretended to contemplate the air.

"Try it and you'll find yourself on the wrong end of Hellskor," Syn said nonchalantly.

"Heh heh," Vivio rubbed the side of her head, "Can I do your hair at least?" She played with a few stray hairs hanging out of the pony tail Syn had tied up, probably to avoid Vivio's straying hands. "I'll make it cute I promise."

"No you will not." Syn pulled her hair away from Vivio's hair. "And I won't let you mess with it until you make up with your mom."

Vivio crossed her arms and looked away, "That's not fair."

"It's not my fault you're being stupid."

"Miss Takamachi?"

Vivio looked behind her, "John?"

**And here I thought this was a big city.**

**--**

**Riot Force Six, Temporary Headquarters**

There was something about arriving in a massive battle ship that made people respect you. Admiral Akito Skala was quite aware of that fact. He knew very well that it was his ship, not his rank, that made people care what he said. As long as he had that ship he still had some kind of power in the politics of the TSAB. But how long until it goes away too, he pondered as he strolled down the halls of Hayate's temporary base.

Well perhaps strolled was the wrong term. He sure treated it as a stroll but one didn't normally stroll in full uniform or with an entourage following them. He supposed he looked odd, he was quite tall, with long limbs that dwarfed most people, but his sticklike frame kept him from looking imposing at all. His slopping shoulders didn't hold the admiral's uniform well at all.

Behind him were two people, a man and a woman. The man was smaller then Akito but far sturdier from years of handling a very peculiar device. His black hair had once been a stark contrast to the snow on Akito's head but now it was starting to grey. He had a strict, stern face. He looked like the kind of guy who never smiled unless he was forced into it and that was true, of course Akito knew how to force him into it.

The woman looked similar to the man. She had similar sharp features and stern eyes. Her blond hair was tied into a bun, which made her look like some sort of librarian. She was the smallest of them all but by far still imposing.

The small party stopped in front of a set of double doors. Some Admirals would have pulled rank and just opened the doors but Akito found it was better just to knock. The door was quickly opened by a woman he recognized as Signum of the Wolkenritter. He gave her a quick nod of recognition before stepping inside.

"It was quite kind of you to invite us here Colonel," he smiled down at the younger woman sitting at her desk.

Hayate stood up and saluted, "Thank you for coming."

He stepped slightly to the side, "Allow me to introduce you to my left and right hands, Enforcer Sageo Tahoe," the man stepped forward, "And Artemis Tahoe my Chief of Staff." The woman stepped forward. "I hope you don't mind me bringing them here."

Hayate shook her head, "No no it's fine. However, I was expecting well you know."

Akito paled, "Heh… well he seems to have disappeared."

Hayate looked more amused then anything else, "Well this will turn out interesting."

--

John set down the bag of groceries he had been holding. He straightened the tie of his uniform. "Wow I didn't expect to see you here, Miss Takamachi."

Vivio rolled her eyes, "Stop calling me that."

"Can I help you?" John was looking at Syn who was eyeing him suspiciously as if he was going to lunge at Vivio any minute.

"You know this guy Vi?" She folded her arms and tried to look as imposing as possible.

"Yeah he's John, he's like Aunt Hayate's nephew. He's been staying with her," Vivio explained.

**He's a pervert too. **Falling Soul added.

"Oh is he?" Syn's mood was impossible to tell based off her voice.

"N-no I'm not," John waved his hands in the air.

"Honestly he's not," Vivio also waved her hands in the air, "Falling Soul just over reacts."

"He doesn't look very strong for a TSAB officer," Syn looked like she was about to accuse him of not being a .

"Well I'm only a support and long ranged mage," He offered, seemingly trying to appease Syn.

She was not impressed, "I'm a long range mage too."

"Ah," he nodded, "Then maybe I'll get to see it sometime."

She shrugged, "Meh you're not that impressive."

"I see…"

Vivio looked up at the sky wondering if someone up there was laughing right now, "John meet Syn Virage my—"

**Girlfriend.**

"Shut up you stupid machine!"

John held out his hand, "It's nice to meet you Miss Virage."

Syn looked at him for a moment more before shaking his hand, "I guess if Vi likes you, you can't be too bad."

"Thank you… I think."

Vivio sighed happily, a giant clash seemed to have been avoided for now.

John picked up his groceries, "Well I should be heading home. I'll see you tonight I suppose Miss Takamachi."

"Yeah and don't call me th—"

"You're the Takamachi Brat! Funny I thought you'd be stronger." A rather loud voice shouted with a mix of confusion and disgust, interrupting Vivio mid sentence.

The three teenagers looked up into the trees that lined the road. Standing on one of them was a boy, no older then Vivio.

"There's no way," He pointed down at Vivio, "you're supposed to be some tough, mighty protégé not a dinky little kid."

"Dinky?" Vivio couldn't believe he had just described her as dinky.

He rolled his eyes. He was an odd kid, his choice of clothing was what seemed to be a pair of black jeans and a black and white t-shirt with the addition of black fingerless gloves. Add on the black hair that had been spiked with some jell and he looked like he was training to be a mime sans the makeup and the beret.

"What's with the outfit?" Syn raised an eyebrow, "Did you break a bottle of ink?"

He ignored her, "Man I came all this way to see this great warrior only to find out she's my age and wimpy looking."

"I am not! I look much stronger then you!" Vivio protested.

He didn't look very strong at all, he wasn't very tall and though he definitely had muscle on his arm the only thing truly impressive about him was the air of confidence around him. "This sucks," He crossed him arms and plopped down onto tree branch. An air that quickly changed to one of annoyance. "Man," he was seemingly talking to himself, "well that doesn't change anything."

"Doesn't change what?" Vivio crossed her arms.

He scrambled back up trying to make himself impressive again, "Vivio H. Takamachi I challenge you to a duel!"

"A duel?"

Syn rolled her eyes, "Well this is stupid."

He held up a hand, "If I win there's a favor I need from you."

"Why would I want to fight you?" Vivio squinted to see him better. "I don't even know you."

"Well if you're a coward then I guess there's no point.

"Hey!" Vivio was starting to get ticked off.

"Don't get worked up," Syn warned, Vivio often did things she didn't mean to without thinking.

"And I thought she'd be at least as strong looking as that Nanoha woman."

"I'm gonna knock you down!"

"Of course she did," Syn shook her head and rubbed her forehead.

"Why get worked up over that?" John bent down so he could better hear Syn.

"She hates being compared to Nanoha in anyway at all. She's too prideful like that."

Vivio bounded into the air, looking like she was trying to swing her fist into the boy's face. Unfortunately for her by the time she got close enough he had disappeared.

Vivio landed on the branch he had been sitting on. "Where'd you—" She looked up to see him crouch, slightly surprised looking, on a glowing black belkan magic seal.

"Gonna have to do better then that," he picked at his ear.

"Set up!"

**You're being childish I won't play along.**

"Can't even control your device?" He shuffled around, "Must be a really sucky device then."

"Well shit," Syn rolled her eyes, "there goes the last line of reason."

"What do you m—"

**Destroy him. **Falling Soul's voice had turned truly devilish. **Leave nothing behind.**

Vivio looked down at her wrist, "Isn't that going a bit too far?"

**Completely gone! **He changed into glaive form as Vivio's barrier jacket formed around her body.

"It's orange?" He stuck out his tongue. "You have some sort of carrot fetish?"

"Told you the orange was bad," Vivio pointed out to her device.

**Orange is a noble color!**

"Can you hurry it up Vi? I'd like to go home before next week," Syn called up to them.

"I'm getting to it!" Vivio turned around to look at Syn and promptly fell out of the tree. "Wahh!"

**Aerial Ace**

"Thanks Falling Soul," Vivio grinned.

**Just get that guy!**

"Done talking?" The boy was tired of waiting for Vivio and had left his perch to kick Vivio in the head. Well attempt to because her automatic barrier protected her from it. He used the barrier to kick off of and onto a new floating platform. "I can just jump around all day, but that'd be boring."

"Then why don't you stay still!" Vivio spiraled forward slashing in the air with Falling Soul.

Of course he had no intention of being chopped up and he continued to flip onto more platforms that appeared as he jumped.

Below them John noted the slight line of black that came from Vivio's opponent's feet as he jumped. "Enhancement magic?"

He hadn't intended for her to but Syn heard him, "On his legs?" She and John watched Vivio fly and the stranger bounce through the sky. "Then it has to be a fast spell."

"Or a continuous one that he cast before he spoke to us."

"Looks like he knew he could get Vivio to fight him."

"I thought you wanted to fight!" Above them Vivio continued to attempt to attack the boy who kept moving just out of her reach.

"Well you're not putting up anything resembling one," The two of them were quickly moving away from where they had started.

Below them Syn and John had started to run, trying to keep them in their sights.

"You don't have a flight spell either?" John asked Syn as he tried to run and balance his groceries.

"No I have one," Her eyes were focused up, "but Vivio wouldn't want me to leave her friend behind."

Vivio skid to a stop, chasing him wasn't working at all, he was faster then her. It was time for a new strategy. "Falling Soul!"

**I got it.**

Her opponent stopped too. "Now what?" He didn't seem interested in running away but he also didn't seem interested in actually attacking her. He stretched, he was no longer standing on one of his platforms, instead he had moved onto a steel beam making up part of the frame of a skyscraper in the midst of production.

"Over here," Syn motioned to John before disappearing between the cracks in the protective fence blocking the construction site from the sidewalk. It was lucky that the crew had taken the day off.

**Crescent…**

Vivio squared herself and aimed.

**Release. **

Like a gunshot the crescent blasted off and spun through the air, aiming to hit the boy smack dab in the middle of his forehead. Of course Vivio wasn't that lucky and he ducked and it managed to fly right over his head.

He grinned cockily, "Oh come on."

**Return.**

A whirring sound filled the air, he didn't ever have time to comprehend what was happening before the crescent smacked into his back. He was sent flying off his perch, it was fortunate for him that he had retained enough sense to grab a hold of a lower beam and haul himself onto that one.

"Are you alright?" Vivio caught her spinning blade and lowered herself down in the air and closer to him though still far enough away that he couldn't quite reach her she believed.

He groaned and shook his head like he was trying to clear it out. He then quickly bounded to his feet and jabbed his thumb at himself, "Of course I'm okay." He pointed at Vivio, "That wimpy thing wouldn't be able to bruise me. My barrier jacket's the best! Get it!" His expression changed to an annoyed one, "But wait a minute… we're opponents. Why are you asking me? You should have attacked me when I was falling!"

"He has a point Vi," Syn called up from the ground.

"Indeed Miss Takamachi," John pushed up his glasses, "in combat pleasantries must be placed aside."

"I was being nice!" Vivio yelled back.

"You speak weirdly," Syn looked to John with a look of mild boredom.

John chuckled with a hint of embarrassment, "do I now?"

"Rule one of battle!" The boy drew up a barrier in front of himself, "never," he pulled back his fist, "be nice!" His fist barreled into the barrier, shattering it as if it were made of glass into at least a hundred fragments. With a flick of his wrist they abruptly straightened out and rocketed at Vivio.

Vivio barely had time to pull up her barrier before they reached her. However, instead of glancing off the barrier they stuck to it as if her barrier was wood. She could contemplate the anomaly though because as soon as they stuck her barrier started to crack. "Falling Soul?"

**Barrier Status… let's just say not good.**

Vivio opened her mouth to respond but never got the chance. Her barrier was instantly shattered by a single punch and she was flung to the ground by a foot hitting the side of her head. It was all too fast for her to register until she was on the ground.

Vivio grunted and groaned, letting herself rest on the ground, at least she would have liked to rest. Unfortunately she immediately had to roll to the side as striped shirt boy landed where she had been the minute before. She scrambled to her feet and into the air. "Falling Soul change form!"

**No need to yell. **The blade in Vivio's had fanned out, forming a full circle while the pole retracted and folded out into a sword, roughly three feet in length.

"Melee with melee," Vivio muttered as they engaged again. Vivio forsook her barrier for a more physical method of blocking.

He threw the first punch.

Vivio caught it on her shield and countered with her own kick to his stomach. Now Vivio was the first to admit that she wasn't the strongest person in the world but that didn't prepare her for her attack not even fazing him.

He quickly knocked her down, this was seemingly becoming a pattern. Vivio wasn't going to fall into it though. She smacked the broad of her sword into the back of his knees. He kneeled over but not without grabbing her ankle as she tried to stand up. She was pulled back down.

"This is quickly becoming less of a duel and more of just a brawl between teenagers," Syn felt that it might be time to break them up.

John couldn't bare to look at them anymore, "This is becoming ridiculous—"

The two of them were cut off by the sudden pink binds restricting them.

"P-pink," John paled as did Syn. "But that means—"

Vivio pulled up her now empty fist as Falling Soul had been knocked out of her hands and got ready to slam her fist into the boy's, who had now been pinned under her, face. She would have except a pink bind wrapped itself around her fist and her entire body and flung her into the air where she hung while the same thing happened to the boy.

"What. Were. You. Thinking?"

Vivio's entire body stiffened and every hair she had bristled. She may not have heard the voice in a week but she definitely recognized it.

Nanoha lowered herself down in front of Vivio, "I thought we taught you to be responsible! Not act like a child and get into fights! I have half a mind to—"

"How dare you!"

Nanoha's lecture was interrupted by a flash of black. A man that seemed familiar to Vivio flew through the air and proceeded to slam his foot into Vivio's, now bound, opponent's stomach. Unlike Vivio's kick, this one looked like it hurt, considering the boy created a crater where he landed. Vivio suspected it had something to do with the Admiral's, at least he was going by his uniform, steel toed boots that Vivio suspected were his device.

"Private Zen Skala!" He growled.

"Private!" Vivio, Syn and John voiced their surprise at the same time.

"Not only did you disgrace yourself and me, you disgraced the entire crew of The Koso."

"Why do you care?" Zen wiggled up, still bound, "You're the one ditching me old man!"

The admiral's eye twitched and he proceeded to fly down and remind Zen why he was in charge.

When he was finished and Zen was thoroughly "reminded" he turned to Vivio with a charming smile. "And you must be Vivio I've heard quite a bit about you."

And all of the sudden Vivio realized she was face to face with Admiral Akito Skala, The Smiling Wolf. And she was indeed in quite a bit of trouble.

--

All in all it hadn't been too bad. The Admiral had actually simply apologized for his subordinate's behavior. However, Nanoha hadn't had a chance to _talk _with Vivio yet. She was going to but a group of police officers had shown up and were they were forced to move everything to Hayate's temporary headquarters.

The four teenagers were forced to wait in chairs outside while the adults argued inside. Vivio was reminded of afternoons spent in front of the principal's office. Zen had tried to move his chair as far away from them as possible but he had found the chairs were bound to their place and Nanoha had bound them to the chairs.

_I should have stopped you,_ Syn spoke to Vivio telepathically.

_You wouldn't have been able to. It's my fault anyway I don't know why you and John are in trouble._ Vivio looked up at the ceiling.

_We were trespassing. That John is worse off though. As a TSAB officer he's supposed to break up fights like that._

Vivio sighed.

"No need to make us more depressed Eyes," Zen leaned forward so he wouldn't be blocked out by John.

"Eyes?"

"If she's eyes," Syn leaned past Vivio. "Then what exactly am I?"

"Well you're." He grinned and removed his gloves. He said something but Vivio couldn't make heads or tails of what it was and from the expression on Syn's face she couldn't either. John on the other hand smacked Zen hard.

"You're a creep," he looked disgusted.

Zen blinked before a long of realization came over him. He slipped his gloves back on, "I should have guessed with a name like John."

"That doesn't make us allies in anyway," John looked away with a bothered look.

They were silent for a few minutes. Vivio was simmering a bit, she would have been angrier but she didn't actually know how Zen had insulted Syn. It was Zen who spoke again and broke the silence.

"Man I want to get out of here," Zen fidgeted in his chair. From his tone they could tell he wasn't talking about the hall.

"If you hate it so much then why did you come then? Are you some kind of masochist?" Syn smirked.

"For your information I didn't have a choice," he glared at the blue haired girl. "Admiral Skala made me."

"Really?" That didn't make sense to Vivio, the Admiral hadn't seemed like the type to make someone do something they hated.

"He only seems like a nice guy," Zen grumbled. "In reality he'll ship you off as soon as he can."

John pushed up his glasses, "Why did he send you to Cranagan? That's far off for an Admiral who patrols the boarders of the TSAB's territory. If he wanted to get rid of you there are a lot of closer bases. He can't be a very good Admiral if he makes his cr—"

"He's a great Admiral!" Zen interrupted, "The best! He just sometimes doesn't do things I like."

"But weren't _you _just complaining about him?" Vivio really didn't get this kid.

"W-well you know he's—"

"You wouldn't like it if someone said something bad about one of your moms would you?" Syn asked Vivio.

"Wait so Admiral Skala is Zen's father?!"

"Well they do have the same last name."

"It still feels strange," John twirled around a pen in his hand, "I always thought Admiral Skala wasn't the type to well… you know with… you know," John was turning a dark scarlet and getting darker with every word, "but those are just stupid rumors so…"

Vivio and Syn were left wondering exactly kind of rumors persisted around the TSAB as John seemed unable to finish his sentence.

Zen shrugged, "most of those rumors are actually true. But," he glared at John, "I'm adopted. That answers your question."

"Why do you hate this city so much?" Vivio was starting to feel like Zen was under examination but after the way he had acted he deserved it.

"It's not the city I hate," there was something in his eyes that chilled the air, something Vivio didn't quite recognize. "It's this unit. It's that woman. I refuse to work under, now or ever. That woman…" his hands were trembling and his voice had obtained a true ferocity, "I hate her more then anyone else! That… that woman, Nanoha Takamachi."

Vivio wasn't sure how to respond, she couldn't begin to understand how anyone could hate her mother. She didn't get anytime to think about it though.

"Now now, hate is a strong word."

The four heads all turned in sequence. None of them had any idea who the old man standing in front of them was. He was definitely pushing 60, maybe even more, it was hard to tell. He was tall and broad shouldered, obviously once he had been a man to contend with. Now, however, he leaned on his cane and looked like the kind of man who would spend his days fishing rather then fighting There was something familiar about him but Vivio couldn't put her finger on it.

"You shouldn't throw around words like that."

Zen's eyes had reverted to their normal bored expression, "'Oi who are you and why are you speaking to me old man?"

"You need to be more polite," Syn glared over Vivio's head.

"Well none of us are perfect. Glasses needs to get the stick out of his ass—"

"Hey!"

"—you need to be less bossy and Vivio," he jerked his thumb at said girl, "well she needs to grow boobs but I don't see any of those things happening soon."

There was a jerking sound, the sound of Vivio attempting to break her bonds and stand up.

"Now now there's no need to fight," Grandpa smiled at them kindly. "I'm looking for Colonel Yagami's office if you children would please point me there."

They all pointed to the door he was standing by.

He chuckled, "Of course."

"They're in a meeting," Vivio warned.

He winked, "I don't think they'll mind." He disappeared inside.

Ten minutes of silence later Vita poked her head out of the room. "In," was all she said before retreating back inside.

The four stood up, their bonds having disappeared, and headed inside.

--

"Now," Hayate sat at her desk flanked by Admiral Skala and Nanoha, looking very unhappy, who were in turned flanked by two people Vivio had never seen before. "I want you four to know you're very very very lucky."

Vivio's two friends and Zen looked in different directions. Vivio took the moment of silence as an opportunity to speak up. "John and Syn didn't have anything to do with this. They just happened to be there!"

**I agree Vivio deserves the full punishment, **Falling Soul chimed in.

Syn wasn't about to stand by, "That's not true we should have stopped Vivio, so we deserve equal punishment."

"No as an officer I deserve greater punishment," John stepped forward resting a hand on his chest. "I had the authority to take them into custody and I didn't."

All eyes rested on Zen. He shrugged and looked off to the side, "I started it but I really don't care what happens to you guys. I don't even know you."

Syn rolled her eyes. "So you're just a freak who randomly attacks people?"

"No! I was going to get Vivio to take my spot!"

"Then why didn't you just ask." The two had broken away from the other two and were standing at opposition to one another.

"Well excuse me for not thinking of it!"

"That's the first thing you should have thought of."

"Children!" Hayate slammed her hand on her desk, drawing them all to attention. "That's better," she sighed, "If you'd be so kind as to listen to me. I was going to say you're very lucky because you've received the closest thing to divine intervention you're going to get at the TSAB."

Their confused looks prompted a second person to explain.

"I suppose it's my fault for being too… understanding, so to speak, of young talent," it was the older man from before, "I've cleared you all of charges on one sole condition. You all become members of Colonel Yagami's unit."

"Who the hell are you? You never answered me." Zen crossed his arms and proceeded to look very grumpy.

"Zen!" Admiral Skala's eyes grew far wider then a normal person's were supposed to go. "Do you have any idea who you're speaking too?"

"Eh?"

"It's alright. After all, my assistant makes sure I stay out of the spotlight." He straightened up taking on a new air, an aura of power Vivio hadn't noticed before. "I am Alistair Hunter, acting head of the TSAB."

"Oh." Zen's pupils became specks. "Oh."

Vivio snapped, "Oh that's why I recognized you."

"I'll expect your enlistment papers along with Miss Virage's very soon," he smiled down at Vivio."

It was then that it hit Vivio just what he was implying. He wanted her in the TSAB and there was nothing her mother could do to stop him. She mentally started dancing.

"Of course I'll expect your respective guardians to enact proper punishment in the TSAB's stead."

And the cheering died instantly.

--

**That night, The Takamachi home, Roof**

"Ommph," Vivio squirmed up the drain pipe, careful not to make much noise outside of her parent's bedroom. She'd been forced back home after the affair in Hayate's office.

"This is harder then I remember," Vivio hadn't actually climbed up to the roof in a long time, flight was much easier. Ten minutes of struggling got her onto the roof. It was lucky that it wasn't a particularly steep roof. It was built perfectly for Vivio to lay on it.

_Syn._ Vivio called out mentally,_ Syn Syn… SYN!_

_Mmm yeah, _The sleepy tone in her best friend's voice told Vivio that Syn had been about to doze off.

_Did I call it or what? _

_What are you talking about? _Syn was probably yawning, _I don't recall you calling anything._

_I knew you'd be on your roof. _Telepathy magic was extremely hard to maintain over long distances, they had done it enough that they were used to it but they weren't very good at doing it if they weren't both outside.

_You took long enough. I almost fell asleep. _She was probably rolling her eyes.

_We're going to be forwards! _Vivio was grinning.

Syn mentally groaned, _after all that happened that's what you're thinking about?_

_Well why not? I'm excited. _

_I don't know maybe the fact you narrowly escaped getting arrested, there's a jerkwad who apparently hates your mother for no good reason on the same team as us, and the head of the TSAB is an old man who we most definitely offended._

_When you put in like that it sounds bad. _

_You're hopeless._

_Meh. I like to think I'm just fine._

_Where's Falling Soul with a snappy remark?_

_Busy keeping me from flying, Mama made sure his flight limiter was activated. _A fact Vivio was not happy about.

_About time… you're going to mess with it again aren't you?_

_Of course._

_Good night Vivio._

_Night Syn._

**--**

"Now that's a nice boat."

The boat in question was more like a floating mansion. It didn't look much like your typical house boat. The fact that it had multiple stories, a terrace, a roof garden, and various other house affixtures made it seem someone had just picked up their house and glued it to a boat.

"Oh my" A head popped up over the first speaker's shoulder. "Jail-Jail never told us he had such rich friends."

"Hey! Git off!" The first speaker glared at the head on his shoulder. He was moderately tall but held himself awkwardly like he was unsure of his own body. It might have been the long chicken legs he was standing on they seemed disproportionate to his body. It might have been the spiky bright red hair on his head and the stubbly beard on his chin or it might just have been a combination of all of it.

The woman who had put her head on him jumped back with a grin. "You're such a grump Ji-Ji!" She pinched his cheek.

"Don't treat me like a little kid. I'm older then you." Ji rolled his eyes.

The woman just kept grinning. She was shorter then him but her presence was much much larger. Her black hair was straight but the sheer amount of it caused it to frizz out. Doggish was the best way to describe her and the dog ears on her head didn't help out. The fur on them was black while the inside was white. Her right ear was folded over and her left ear was split but neither seemed to bother her. Neither did the stump she had for a tail. "But you act like a little kid Ji-Ji."

"And here I thought you were going to help me," Jail Scaglietti waved his hands in the air, "how wrong I was."

"Hey the boss sent you with the best of the best," Hou's head popped out from behind Ji. "We are the final four!" He bounced forward, "Hou!"

Ji posed with his hand on his stubble, trying to look cool, "Ji."

The woman then pounced on his head, "Gou!"

They all paused then looked around.

Hou cleared his throat, "your turn."

A depressed looking teenager stepped out. His bowl of pink hair covered his eyes. He was taller then Hou but not by much and he was on the pudgy side. "Zhu."

"We're the quartette of The Metal Menagerie!" Gou cheered. "Isn't that awesome!"

"You understand I don't care right?" Jail pointed at the boat, "An acquaintance of mine is in there, I need his help so you're going to help me get him, alright."

Ji picked at his ear, "If he's your friend why don't you just ask him."

"You have much to learn," Jail shook his head. "Scientists like myself don't just open their doors to everyone."

"'You have much to learn'," Ji whispered mockingly into Gou's ear, "How does the boss tolerate this guy?"

Gou shrugged, "Sam does a lot of things we don't get."

If Ji cared about the informality in Gou's voice he didn't care. "Well—"

Zhu tugged on their sleeves, "The doctor looks mad."

The doctor was indeed mad, "We will be entering the boat house. I expect he will have guard drones throughout so be ready to take them down. If I know him he'll be holed up in his lab. Now we'll want to be quiet and—"

"Sounds good!" Hou cracked his knuckles, "Forward march!" They all raced inside the boat, completely and totally ignoring the doctor and his orders.

"That's why I wanted my numbers back!"

--

"It's pretty big in here," Ji's voice echoed throughout the main hall. "We could fit everyone in here couldn't we?"

The main hall was truly gigantic, and spooky as well. Statues of all sorts lined the walls, as well a portrait after portrait each depicting a family that may have once been cheerful but managed to look only eerie.

"Yeah yeah we should bring them here it'd be fun," Hou bounced around the room.

"Kitty wouldn't enjoy it though," Zhu sighed and continued on in his utterly depressing voice, "not one bit. She'd probably yell at us and call us stupid."

The four of them all groaned at once.

"She's so cruel."

"We just happen to care."

"But she does says mean things."

"All the time."

"All we want is for her to become part of our group."

"Are you warriors or a comedy troupe?" Jail yelled out in frustration.

**Intruder detected. Deploying in 5… 4… 3…**

"Look what you lot did!"

"It was you not us," Ji pointed out.

"Too bad we're doomed," Zhu looked off to the side, "So young too ah well."

**2… 1… go**

The guard drones were deployed instantly, they came from the walls, from the ceiling, and some even from the floor.

"Aww fun's over," Hou pouted. "Ah well might as well beat these guys up." He stretched his arms letting the seals on his hands face the ceiling. "Ready?"

"Yeah yeah," Ji scratched his right leg with his left. "We need the exercise anyway Gou's starting to get fat."

The drones were circling them now. Apparently they were programmed to only attack once the target moved.

"It's not nice to talk about a lady's weight." In a puff of smoke Gou turned into a large, fluffy, black and white husky. "I might just have to hurt you too for that one."

Zhu lifted up his bangs, revealing bright blue eyes, "well I guess this will be better then fighting TSAB dogs."

"I take offense to that," Gou complained.

"Sorry I meant garbage."

"Will you all just fight?" Jail snapped.

"You heard the old man."

"Let's get going." Ji made the first move, a giant roundhouse kick to the side of a drone, smashing it into the ground and into pieces. His foot glowed red from the magic in the attack. "Low tech. The guy here wasn't expecting strong visitor in any case."

"Grr," Gou growled and pounced on a drone clawing a hole in it and destroying it from the inside. "Too easy."

"Well," Zhu ripped part of the staircase's banister off. He broke it into a smaller piece then popped the wood into his mouth and seemingly chewed. A flash of magenta could be seen before he tilted his head back then shot forward and spat. Like a bullet the now chewed into a ball wood smashed straight through a drone. "I'm not complaining."

They took care of them in no time flat.

Hou pouted, "I didn't even get to use those statues."

"That was just the first round," Jail shook his head, "Get ready children."

The second round came in the form of a giant. A fully mechanized golem came stomping down the stairs.

"Hold it off," Hou spread out his palms, the magic seal forming underneath his feet. "This'll take a minute."

"Take all the time you need," Ji cracked his knuckles, "We'll keep this bastard busy."

Sensing magic the mechanical golem tried to smash Hou into little bits, his attempts were thwarted by the white barrier put up by Gou.

The other two watched as the armor tried to break through. "That looks painful," Ji commented.

"You guys can jump in at anytime," Gou called out, the pain showing as her barrier was pushed to its limit.

Ji tapped his legs causing them to glow red for a split second before jumping forward and onto the golem's back. He stuck like glue. "Hey ugly."

The golem gave up its attack on the barrier to try and shake Ji off it's back.

"Won't work I'm a magnet you know."

The golem decided to just smash into his legs. On anyone else this would have likely crippled them, on Ji it just caused the golem to vibrate wildly.

"Come on try again! Boss is the best mechanic in the world my legs can take whatever you throw at me!"

One of Zhu's spit balls rocketed past Ji and dented the golem, as well as drawing his attention, "Don't forget the rest of your body is fleshy like the rest of us."

"All done!" Hou's eyes rolled up and a crash could be heard in the hall as a massive statue of a dragon ripped away from the wall. The others backed up, Ji hopped off of the golem just as Hou's puppet used a giant stone paw to smash into it. The dragon proceeded to turn the golem into scrap metal. After it was finished the dragon stood still again and Hou returned to his normal, although exhausted, state.

"Well well," clapping echoed through the room, "It seems little TSAB vermin have invaded my home." A large blond man stood on the top of the stairs. "I- wait is that Doctor?"

"Arthur Sorell my old apprentice!" Jail clapped his hands together. "I've come to ask a favor."

"Working with the TSAB? I thought you knew better Doctor."

"Hey… Gou," Hou panted out from his place on the floor where he had collapsed, "This bozo… thinks we're… TSAB."

"Someone… should straighten… him out," she chuckled softly due to the difficulty she was having breathing.

"I'll leave it to Ji," Zhu plopped down on the floor, "I'm getting hungry."

Ji grinned devilishly, "Know this blondie," He pointed up Arthur before jerking back to himself, "We aren't some mother fucking low life scum! We're not TSAB! We're rebels! Remember it!"

--

Preview:

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha RebelS

Syn: Let's go out for lunch

Vivio: Eh? With him?!

Zen: Crane games are easy...

??: All nearby agents please apprehend

??: Yo small fragile criminals! Meet Frank! He's very sharp.

Chapter 4

Test

Vivio: Why does nothing ever go as planned?

--

A/N: Lots of new characters here ;; to help you out here's a list of the currently known Metal Menagerie (The rebels working with Jail) members.

Shu

Niu

Mr. Long

Hou

Ji

Gou

Zhu

and Mao (aka Kitty)

Little bit of Trivia here, the members' codenames are named after the animals of the Chinese Zodiac in Mandarin. Mouse, Ox/cow, Mr. Dragon, Monkey, Chicken, Dog, Pig and Cat (who is of course not a member of the zodiac) respectively. You can guess who'll show up next ;).


End file.
